Lineman&#39;s platform



Oct. 6, 1931.. B. c. BOOTH LINEMANS PLATFORM Filed June 25, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

fil/raeff L 50029;

Oct. 6, 1931. B. c. BOOTH 1,826,120

muaa um's PLATFORM Filed June 25, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 0 INVENTOR; /5 Burr/eff C. Boof/I MM fi/ M 26 V A TTORNEYS as n] Patented Oct. 6, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT GFFICE' BURNETT C. BGCTI'T, DE 12053 ANGELESQ, CALIFGRNl't LINEIVEAH "S PLATED R-lrI Application filed June 25,

- permitting ready removal therefrom when desired. A particular object of the invention is to provide for securing of the platform to the pole in such manner as to firmly support the weight of a person thereon, and to prevent accidental displacement from the pole, and especially to prevent lateral swinging of the platform about the pole. A further object of the invention is to provide improved means for tightening the securing means in position about the pole so as to tightly embrace the same.

A further object of the invention is to provide a platform and supporting and securing means therefor of a collapsible construction, so that the apparatus may be collapsed substantially into the plane of the platform to permit ease of handling the same and bringing it into the desired position'on the pole, particularly in the presence of cross arms and transmission lines. Certain constructions of linemens platforms heretofore used have been open to the objection that certain parts of the securing means, consisting usually of metal bars or the like, projected rigidly from the plane of the platform and they were, therefore. awkwardto handle and particularly difficult to raise into position above a set of high voltage wires secured to a cross arm. In raising the platform to such position it is necessary to pass the same between the two sets of wires at opposite ends of the cross arms, one or both of which may be at a high potential, and with such a rigid construction there is an obvious danger of short circuiting or even of electrocution of the operator who is handling the apparatus. These disadvantages are overcome according to my invention by making the apparatus collapsible as above mentioned. A further advantage of the collapsible construction is that it may be folded 1928'. Serial no. 288,256.

up in a very compact manner and will take up but little space, when being carried in a truck or other vehicle to the place where it is to be used. This is quite an item, as such truck is usually well loaded with other materials and economy of space is important.

A further object of the invention is to make the platform invertible, that is, so that it may be secured in position with the securing means extending either upwardly or downwardly from the platform, and may,

therefore, be mounted either directly above or directly below a cross arm.

The apparatus comprises a flat platform or board 1 of any desired length and width and formed preferably of wood of the desired strength. Said platform may be rounded in a concave shape at its inner end, that is the end which is to be placed against the pole, as indicated at 2, so as to conform approximately to the usual or average curvature ofthe poles on which it is to be used. A metal channel b2113 may be secured over this end of the platform, having substantially the same curvature and being preferably provided with a plurality of prongs or pointed members 4 adapted to be pressed into or against the pole. stiffening or reinforcing members such as channel bars 5 are also preferably secured over the edges of the platform adjacent the aforesaid end thereof and extending throughout any desired portion of the length of the platform, and preferably to a sufficient distance to receive the ends of the inclined supporting or bracing members hereinafter described. The channel members 3 and 5 are preferably secured together as by welding, as indicated at 6.

A further object of the invention is to pro vide an apparatus having adjustable securing means so as to render it adaptable to poles of different sizes.

A further object of the invention is to provide in connection with a linemans platform, an insulated stand which may be quickly secured uponthe platform or detached therefrom, so as to permit the lineman to work in safety upon high voltage lines. A particular object in this connection is to adapt the same insulated stand to use upon the ground or in other positions.

The accompanying drawings illustrate a preferred embodiment of my invention and the manner of securing the nine to a pole, and referring thereto.

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of he platform, with the insulated staid mountt. thereon.

Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof.

Fig. 3 is an end elevation taken from the left in Fi 1.

Fig. 1 is a section on line l:lin 1.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view showin 2 platforms according to this invention mounted in respective inverted positions on a pole.

Fig. 6 is a perspective vi of the appartus withthe securing means col apsed against the platform.

Fig. 7 is a perspective vie-v of the insulated stand showing the manner of usiu the same separately from the platform for example upon the ground.

A pair of supporting bars '7 are pivoted as at 8 at the respective side o platform 1 aiu adjacent the inner end f said platrorni so to be adapted to swing from a positi on or alongside the platform and sul Cli'iulty in the plane thereof shown in g 6 to an upright or vertical posmion. as shown for er:- ample. in Figs. 1. 3 and Two bracing bars or members 10 are pivotally mounted at ."r as by 1113i ns of ends of the respective bars a a transverse rod 11 extending thr u h saic members as shown in Fig. 3. said b l. .ing

spaced in suitable relation thereon by ia-ai of nuts or other spacing}; members 12. bracing ba 1-; 10 are provided at their free ends with openings 13 adapted to engage pre im?"- ing studs or pins 1-11: at t e respective des of platform 1, when the bar.- swung to vertical position, said pins 1-} being secured. for example, to the respective side \Vhen so engaged said bars nu be held in position by means of retaining pins 16 passing thro-.. -;l openings 17 in the respective studs 14 pins being tied to the platform as by means of small chains 18. The inner ends of the re spective bracing bars 10 are prefeiabl i pointed shown at 19 so to penetrate or grip the pole r s hereinafter described.

The means for securing he pl. iirm position may further compr so a flexible securing member such as chain 21 secured at one end as at 22 to a tightening; lever 23 pivotally mounted at 2&- on bracket at one side of the inner end of the platform and adapted to adj ustably engage hoolr means 26 at the other sire of the platform, and another flexible securing member such as chain 27 secured a one end as at 28 to the outer end of one of the bars 7 and id: pted to be same and to have a suitable linl' thereof engaged 1n the hook means 26 and 29 respectively. The tightening lever 2 is adapted to be s rung about its pivot 2% toward or a way from the platform and substantially in the p ine thereof and may be secured in position against the platf rm by means of pin 31 passed through openings in a pair of lugs between. which said lever is received. he pin 31 may also be tied to the platform by means of chain 34.

LLG insulated stand may comprise a plat" form member 36 secured in suitable manner 'Ll ond the also provided adapted to extend beneath atform .l and to project beyond the sides erect, and means such as threaded pins or "s 41-1 and wing nuts may be provided clamping the plat mm 1 between the .5 3S and 89 so as to hold the insulated stand firn y in position on said platform. Acorn nut are also prefe "ably provided o pins or olts -11 so as to permit the insulated stand to be used in other positions, as upon the ground, without injury to the lower ends of said bolts.

in using the above described puitforu the same may be collapsed as shown in Fig. (3. by removal of pins 16 and disengagement of arms 10 from studs 14. The platform may then be raised to the desired height on the pile, it being noted that vhei so collapsed all of the supporting and securing means are approximately in the plane of the platform and the entire device may, therefore. be easily raised past 1 ny conducting wires which may be mounted upon the cross arms 51. The platform may be mounted in either of the positions shown in Fig. 5, that is with the supporting arms 7 and bracing arms 10 cithe' above or below the platform. In socuring the device in the position of the upper i atform shown in Fig. the arms 7 and 10 may be raised to the desired position and ims 10 may be engaged with studs 14 and held in position by retaining pins 1.6. The two securing chains 21 and 27 may then be passed around the pole and a suitable link of each chain engaged with the corresponding hook means, 26 or 29, so as to nurse the chains to embrace the pole. The chain 27 connecting the outer ends of arms 7 may be secured tightly enough in this manner, but additional tightening of chain may be so cured by means of tightening lever 23 as 'llustrated more clearly in Fig. 2.

For this purpose said lever may first be moved to some such position as indicated in dotted lines at 23 and the chain 21 may then be passed around the pole and secured to.

hook 26. By then moving lever 23 to position against the side of the platform, any desired tightening of the chain may be secured, such tightening also serving to force the pointed members a into the pole. The tight engagement of chain 21 with the pole and also the engagement of prongs 4 therewith serves to clamp the pole tightly between the platform member and the chain and thus effectively prevent lateral swinging of the platform. When the lever 23 has been brought to position alongside the platform the retaining pin 31 may be inserted to hold it in this position. The provision of two securing members adapted to embrace the pole, one substantially in the plane of the platform, and the other at the ends of supporting arms 7 constitutes an important feature of this invention as it effectively holds the platform against falling when in the position above mentioned, while the first-named chain, particularly when tightened as above described, constitutes an especially important feature of the invention as it prevents lateral swinging movement of the platform.

The device may also be mounted as shown at the bottom of Fig. 5, the manner of securing the same to the pole being substantially the same in this case as before. When in this position, however, the pointed ends 19 of the bracing bars 20 engage the face of the pole and hold the platform against falling. The apparatus is, therefore, equally stable when mounted in either of the two relatively inverted positions.

The insulated stand may readily be mounted upon platform 1 when in either of the positions shown in Fig. 5, by loosening the wing nuts 42 and bringing the stand to the desired position on said platform, with the bars 38 and 39 extending respectively above and beneath said platform, and then tightening the wing nuts 42 to hold said stand in such position. The insulated stand may also be used independently of the platform by simply resting the same upon the ground or other surface, as indicated in Fig. 7, the acorn nuts 43 serving as legs in such cases and preventing injury to the threads of pins 41. hen used either in connection with the platform or independently thereof, an operator may stand upon the insulated platform 36 and insulators 37 will then prevent passage of electric current through the body of such operator to ground.

I claim:

1. A linemans platform comprising a platform member, collapsible supporting members mounted adjacent one end of said platform member to swing. from position alongside the platform to position perpendicular thereto, collapsible bracing means for holding said supporting members in said lastnamed position, and securing means adapted to embrace a pole and hold both the upper and lower ends of sald supporting members inwardly against said pole when said supporting members are in position perpend1cu= lar to the latform said su anortin members,

J i 2:; bracing means, and securing means, being adapted to lie substantially in the plane of said platform when collapsed. 2. A linemans platform comprising a plat- "form" member, a flexible securing member bracing members connecting the ends of the respective supporting members to the plat- {'85 form member, said bracing members having their inner ends adapted to engage the pole beneath the level of the platform, when the platform is placed with the supporting memv bers extending downwardly, and hold the platform in horizontal position, a second flexible securing member adapted to extend around the pole, and means for securing said second flexible member to the respective supporting members at a levelspaced vertically from the plane of the platform so as to hold said platform in horizontal position when the platform is placed with the supporting members extending upwardly therefrom.

3. In a lincmans platform a platform member having its inner end formed to abut against a pole and provided with prong means adapted to engage in such pole, a flexible securing member adapted to extend entirely around a pole from one side of the inner end of said platform member to the other side thereof, means for connecting the respective ends of said securing member to the inner end of said platform member at opposite sides thereof, and means for tightening said securing member about a pole so as to clamp the pole tightly between said securing member and the inner end of the platform member.

4. In a linemans platform, a platform member, a lever pivotally mounted at one side of said platform member adjacent the inner end thereof, a flexible securing member secured to said lever at a distance from the point of pivotal support thereof and adapted to extend entirely around a pole to the other side of the platform member, and means for connecting said securing membe to said other side of said platform member adjacent the inner end thereof, said lever being adapted to swing from a position projecting outwardly from the platform to a position alongside the platform so as to tighten said securing member about a pole. g

5. In combination with a linemans plat- "1 form having a horizontally extending platform member, an insulated stand comprising a platform, insulating supports secured beneath said last mentioned platform adjacent the respective ends thereof, bars secured beneath the insulating supports at the respec tive ends of said last named platform and adapted to extend across and rest upon the first mentioned platform member, bars extending beneath and spaced from the respective first mentioned bars and adapted to extend beneath said first mentioned platform member and means for clamping said last mentioned bars to said first named bars so as to clamp the first mentioned platform member therebetween, said clamping means having means at their lower ends adapted to rest upon the ground and permit use of said insulated stand separately from said linemans platform.

6. In a linemans platform, a platform member having its inner end adapted to fit against a pole, a lever pivotally mounted at one side of said platform member adjacent said inner end thereof, a flexible securing member substantially unyielding in the direction of its length, secured to said lever at a distance from the pivotal support of said lever and adapted to extend. entirely around a pole to the other side of said platform member, and means for connecting said securing member to said other side of the platform member adjacent the inner end thereof, said lever being adapted to swing from a position projecting outwardly from the platform to a position alongside the platform and away from the inner end thereof so as to draw said securing member tightly into engagement about the pole.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name this 13th day of June, 1928.

BURNETT C. BOOTH. 

